Brady and Roethlisberger lead the league's two best teams.


Every week throughout the season, myself and Derek Peiffer will be doing a run-down of the best and worst teams in the NFL in our power rankings. These are the official 2M2MG.com power rankings heading into Week 1 of the NFL season.


No. 1)

Derek: Pittsburgh Steelers (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: New England Patriots (Last Week: N/A)

Derek's take: The defending Superbowl champions. There's really no one else who deserves the number one spot in the following seasons opening power rankings. They bring back almost the exact same team as 2008. Look for the Steelers to fight hard to defend their title.

Bob's take: The Steelers may be the defending champs, but rankings shouldn't be given by default. If that were the case, everyone would be ranked in exactly the same order in which they finished last year, wouldn't they? The Patriots, with Tom Brady, are the most complete team in the entire league.


No. 2)

Derek: New England Patriots (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: Pittsburgh Steelers (Last Week: N/A)

Derek's take: The Matt Cassell-led Patriots missed the playoffs, but that is a misleading statement. The Pats finished the season at 11-5, but still lost out on the playoffs. Tom Brady returns and the team brought in Fred Taylor and Joey Galloway to an already fantastic offense. Look for the Patriots to be back in the playoffs in 2009.

Bob's take: This is a difficult spot to peg because really after the Patriots there's not much separation between the second-best team all the way down to around the eighth-ranked team. The Steelers are a solid team, no doubt, and if they get that offensive line in order they'll be scary again in 2009.


No. 3)

Derek: Indianapolis Colts (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: Philadelphia Eagles (Last Week: N/A)

Derek's take: If you have Peyton Manning on your roster, you're in good shape. Even after a slow start to last season after missing majority of the off-season with a knee injury, Manning led the Colts on and 8 game win streak to end the season, and a trip to the playoffs. They would fall short to San Diego, but look for a full-season of Peyton to make it back.

Bob's take: If it all comes together for the Eagles, they can be one of the most explosive teams in the entire league. They're stacked on both sides of the ball and should certainly contend with the NFL's elite. Bringing in Vick gives them an extra weapon to add to an already impressive arsenal. Grab your coffee, defensive coordinators, it's going to be a long night.


No. 4)

Derek: San Diego Chargers (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: San Diego Chargers (Last Week: N/A)

Derek's take: After a disappointing 8-8 season had the Chargers on the verge of missing the playoffs, the team was one game away from the AFC championship. Injuries being the story of the Charger's 2008, they will look to stay healthy in 2009. Phillip Rivers got a new deal, and if they can stay healthy, the Chargers should be a top contender in the NFL.

Bob's take: Top to bottom, the Chargers might have the best stockpile of talent in the entire league. That being said, I'm not a believer in Norv Turner. He hasn't shown the capability to get a team where they need to be. His teams will never overachieve, but instead will win one or two games less than what they should.


No. 5)

Derek: Baltimore Ravens (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: New York Giants (Last Week: N/A)

Derek's take: The team that seemingly never ages. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed have been the staples of this team forever it seems. Bart Scott and defensive coordinator Rex Ryan are now in New York, but I think they can hold up just fine.

Young DT Haloti Ngata will anchor the defensive line while second-year quarterback Joe Flacco looks to repeat his rookie season and lead the Ravens back to the playoffs.

Bob's take: While I'm not a fan of this offense, the depth and talent of the defense is just too much to overlook. They're not only good at every position on defense, but they're deep as well, which is what a contending team needs. If Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs can allow Manning to only throw 20-25 times a game, they're still scary for the rest of the league.


No. 6)

Derek: Philadelphia Eagles (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: Atlanta Falcons (Last Week: N/A)

Derek's take: The loss of Stewart Bradley will certainly hurt this defense a lot. Add in the loss of defensive leader Brian Dawkins and you would think the Eagles were doomed. Not so fast. Second year linebacker Joe Mays should step in and help sure up the middle while young safety Quentin Demps will provide some better coverage skills than our beloved Dawk.

Donovan McNabb will continue to be one of the better quarterbacks in this league and finally has some weapons in Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. Look for Westbrook to stay healthy with the opportunity to rest up and give way to rookie LeSean McCoy.

Bob's take: The Atlanta Falcons, though getting some respect, are extremely overlooked when it comes to talking about elite teams in not only the NFC, but the NFL.

Second-year quarterback Matt Ryan will be even better than last year, which is a scary prospect in itself. Give him an emerging Roddy White and the best tight end to ever play in Tony Gonzalez and you've got the makings of a championship team.


No. 7)

Derek: New York Giants (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: Tennessee Titans (Last Week: N/A)

Derek's take: The Giants may have the best defense in the NFC East, and the defending NFC East champs will need that defense to carry them. The loss of Plaxico Burress is a huge one. There aren't many 6'6" wide receivers with that kind of talent running around.

Brandon Jacobs is still a force at running back, and is always tough to bring down. Hakeem Nicks, Domenik Hixon and Steve Smith will all need to pick up the slack left behind by Plax. Combing all three, they might come close. Still look for the Giants to compete with the elite of the NFL.
Bob's take: Personally, I don't think that the Titans will miss Albert Haynesworth as much as others may think. Let's not forget the thing that really carried this team was their running game. Chris Johnson was phenomenal, and should only be better in his second year. LenDale White has trimmed down and will help Johnson create the best 1-2 punch in the NFL.


No. 8)

Derek: Arizona Cardinals (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: Houston Texans (Last Week: N/A)

Derek's take: They fell just a few plays short of a Superbowl trophy. The first 9-7 team to ever make the big game returns it's starting quarterback, three 1,000 yard receivers and drafted stud running back out of Ohio State, Beanie Wells.

Larry Fitzgerald will be huge once again for the Cardinals and even after the debacle that was Anquan Boldin this off-season, he's still in Arizona. If the defense can play as well as they did last season, the offense will surely be better.

Bob's take: No seriously, I'm not crazy. Hear me out. The Texans offense has been one of the best in the league for the past two seasons, and the only thing that's kept them from being the best has been inopportune injuries to quarterback Matt Schaub. If he can finally stay healthy, they are the best offense in the league.

Defensively they're nothing to scoff at, either. With star players such as Mario Williams, DeMeco Ryans, and Dunta Robinson, as well as an emerging star in Amobi Okoye, this Texans defense will surprise a lot of people. Even though I believe the Titans win the South, I think the Texans are a Wild Card team that could surprise in the playoffs. Think 2008 Cardinals.


No. 9)

Derek: Atlanta Falcons (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: Arizona Cardinals (Last Week: N/A)

Derek's take: A team that came from out of nowhere last season. Rookie Matt Ryan threw a touchdown on his first NFL pass, and you knew it was meant to be from then on. First year starter Michael Turner proved that he is indeed worthy to return to that starting status, and Roddy White seemed to finally mature at WR and posted a break-out season.

John Abraham still anchors the defense and the Falcons are a very well rounded team that could very well find themselves atop the entire NFC come January.

Bob's take: While expectations in Arizona, and around the country, for the Cardinals may be a bit high, that offense is far too good to ignore. Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston make up the very best wide receiver corps in the entire league. Let's also not count out former third-round pick Early Doucet who's looking to get in on the fun.

If Beanie Wells can supply the running game that they were missing last year, and if that defense can take another step forward, the Cardinals will be a very scary team. They're going to score a lot of points and if that defense can hold teams under 30 points, that should be all it takes for them to win a lot of games.


No. 10)

Derek: Tennessee Titans (Last Week: N/A)

Bob: Indianapolis Colts (Last Week: N/A)

Derek's take: A gaping hole is present in the Titans defensive line, but throughout the preseason, they seemed fine. Keith Bulluck returns to a very stout defense along with the likes of Cortland Finnegan.

Speedster Chris Johnson will look to follow up a stellar rookie season while LenDale White looks to follow up on a stellar weight loss and turn that into something positive. Kerry Collins is still the starter at quarterback and can still get it done. The Titans may be under the radar after the loss of Haynesworth, and the heavy media exposure of the Texans inside the division.

Bob's take: While having Peyton Manning still makes them a good team, I don't have any faith in the Colts defense. Bob Sanders can't stay healthy, and the rest of the defense is very undersized and outside of Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, aren't really anything special.

If the defense can prove me wrong and play well, the Colts may just reclaim their spot on top of the AFC South. At this point, however, I see the Colts as the AFC version of the New Orleans Saints. A lot of offense, but little defensive help makes them a 9-7 team, and third in the South.


No. 11)

Derek: Chicago Bears (Last Week: N/A) - Jay Cutler gives the Bears a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback. Pair that with a strong defense and you've gotta take a second look at Chicago this season.

Bob: Minnesota Vikings (Last Week: N/A) - Brett Favre will open it up for AP, and vice versa. That defense is still scary, but they may lack the firepower to contend with the elite teams.


No. 12)

Derek: New Orleans Saints (Last Week: N/A) - Over 5,000 yards last season for Drew Brees, and that high-powered offense should be back in 2009. A little shaky on the defensive side, but the offense should be able to handle.

Bob: Baltimore Ravens (Last Week: N/A) - Losing Ryan and Scott will hurt more than they think, but they're still a playoff team as long as Ray Lewis anchors that defense.


No. 13)

Derek: Carolina Panthers (Last Week: N/A) - They have one of, if not the best running back tandem in the NFL. Delhomme is shaky, and they lost Ma'Ake Kemoeatu for the year.

Bob: Carolina Panthers (Last Week: N/A) - The Panthers would be ranked higher than this, but I'm not a fan of Jake Delhomme as a quarterback. I think defenses adjust to him, but he won't adjust to them.


No. 14)

Derek: Dallas Cowboys (Last Week: N/A) - The cut of T.O. is what will hurt this team the most. Romo already couldn't win in December, now it becomes that much tougher.

Bob: Dallas Cowboys (Last Week: N/A) - Trio of running backs should make for an explosive running game, but until Romo can win when it matters, it's tough to rank them any higher than this.


No. 15)

Derek: Green Bay Packers (Last Week: N/A) - I'm very high on Aaron Rodgers and his ability to lead this team. The transition to the 3-4 is going quite smoothly. Look out for B.J. Raji.

Bob: Green Bay Packers (Last Week: N/A) - Aaron Rodgers isn't taking strides, he's taking leaps. He's quickly entering the "top 10 quarterbacks" discussion and with those receivers, they'll be tough.


No. 16)

Derek: Minnesota Vikings (Last Week: N/A) - They still got the Williams Wall. They still got the best running back in the NFL, Adrian Peterson. Add in sure Hall of Famer, Brett Favre and you got a heck of a football team.

Bob: New Orleans Saints (Last Week: N/A) - 16 makes sense for the a team with one of the best offenses, one of the worst defenses, and an 8-8 record that reflects just that.


No. 17)

Derek: Houston Texans (Last Week: N/A) - Until Matt Schaub can stay healthy, they can't really get any better.

Bob: Seattle Seahawks (Last Week: N/A) - A lot of people have forgotten the Seahawks after one bad season, but they were ravaged by injuries last year. Hasselbeck to Houshmanzadeh could be impressive.


No. 18)

Derek: Seattle Seahawks (Last Week: N/A) - An injury plagued season doomed the Seahawks last year. They have the firepower to challenge for the NFC West this year.

Bob: Chicago Bears (Last Week: N/A) - Jay Cutler makes every receiver on that team better the first time he steps onto the field. Watch out for Earl Bennett, he could have a Roddy White-like breakout year.


No. 19)

Derek: Washington Redskins (Last Week: N/A) - After hearing his name in Trade talks all off-season, Jason Campbell looks like a man possessed. Too bad their tight end is the best receiver.

Bob: Miami Dolphins (Last Week: N/A) - The Wildcat, the Dolphins' key source of offense, is a gimmick that may have reached its end. Dolphins will have to rely on the running game for any real shot in '09.


No. 20)

Derek: Buffalo Bills (Last Week: N/A) - Cowboys loss is the Bills gain, and a big gain at that. T.O. will provide Trent Edwards with a second #1. Impressive. Marshawn lynch misses the first four games though.

Bob: New York Jets (Last Week: N/A) - Mark Sanchez appears to have what it takes to be an NFL quarterback, and the defense should be good. Might be a playoff contender in a couple years.


No. 21)

Derek: Miami Dolphins (Last Week: N/A) - They tricked their way to win the AFC East. Look for teams to be more aware this year.

Bob: Jacksonville Jaguars (Last Week: N/A) - An injury-ravaged offensive line should be healthy and will significantly improve what was a sub-par offense in 2008.


No. 22)

Derek: Cincinnati Bengals (Last Week: N/A) - Could very well move up this list easily. Chad Ochocinco should be back, Carson Palmer is back. Hopefully Chris Henry can make a name for himself ON the field this year. Don't forget about Lavernues Coles. An under the radar acquisition.

Bob: Washington Redskins (Last Week: N/A) - Jason Campbell is playing with a chip on his shoulder, but the offensive line still isn't where it should be to make them legitimate contenders.


No. 23)

Derek: New York Jets (Last Week: N/A) - May be a little low, but I won't give credit until it's earned. Sanchez cna be fantastic this year, but I won't place them higher until he proves it.

Bob: San Francisco 49ers (Last Week: N/A) - "Cannot play with 'em, cannot win with 'em, cannot coach with 'em, can't do it. I want winners!" Give the man a few years, this team will be back in the playoffs.


No. 24)

Derek: Jacksonville Jaguars (Last Week: N/A) - There's just something I don't like about this team. The offense just doesn't seem to go without Fred Taylor.

Bob: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last Week: N/A) - I'm a big believer in Byron Leftwich and think that he will win them a few games this season on his own. Still, only a five or six-win team.


No. 25)

Derek: San Francisco 49ers (Last Week: N/A) -They have a decent offense, but they might as well not even suit up a quarterback and let Frank Gore take the snaps. Wildcat all day.

Bob: Buffalo Bills (Last Week: N/A) - The Bills have some talent in Trent Edwards, T.O., Marshawn Lynch, and the rookie Aaron Maybin. However, Dick Jauron is not a winning coach. Until he goes, they'll lose.


No. 26)

Derek: Denver Broncos (Last Week: N/A) - This is a trainwreck of an off-season for Denver. Cutler gone, Marshall gone (At least in his own little mind). Tough to see them win more than 5 games.

Bob: Cincinnati Bengals (Last Week: N/A) - Carson Palmer returning automatically makes them better than what they were last year, but the defense is still a mess and outside of 85, the offense has no weapons.


No. 27)

Derek: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last Week: N/A) - Byron Leftwich is a good quarterback, and they have a fantastic backfield again this year, but I can't see them winning more than 4 games.

Bob: Denver Broncos (Last Week: N/A) - As far as I'm concerned, Josh McDaniels has proven that he doesn't know how to lead a group of men. His seat is rather hot, and his era in Denver could end quickly.


No. 28)

Derek: Kansas City Chiefs (Last Week: N/A) - They got the hot free agent this season in Matt Cassel, but is he really that good, or a product of the Belichek system?

Bob: Oakland Raiders (Last Week: N/A) - The Raiders rushing attack is scary, but until JaMarcus Russel progresses the way he should, the Raiders will always find themselves down here.


No. 29)

Derek: Cleveland Browns (Last Week: N/A) - When you have 2 quarterbacks, you have none. That's the old saying, and that's what you have in Cleveland.

Bob: Kansas City Chiefs (Last Week: N/A) - Matt Cassel must replicate his '08 season to prove he's much of an improvement over Tyler Thigpen. Moving to the 3-4 takes at least a year before it finds success.


No. 30)

Derek: Oakland Raiders (Last Week: N/A) - The running game should be a bright spot, but when 39 year-old Jeff Garcia might be your best option at quarterback, you have some problems.

Bob: Cleveland Browns (Last Week: N/A) - Derek Anderson is the right choice at quarterback, but it appears as though it will be Brady Quinn leading the Browns to the cellar this year.


No. 31)

Derek: St. Louis Rams (Last Week: N/A) - Outside of Steven Jackson, they have nothing. Bulger hasn't thrown 6 more picks than touchdowns the past 2 years, and now he lost Torry Holt. Things just keep getting worse in The Lou.

Bob: Detroit Lions (Last Week: N/A) - At this point, the bottom two teams really are interchangeable. That being said, I give the edge to the Lions because they've improved in some key areas this offseason.


No. 32)

Derek: Detroit Lions (Last Week: N/A) - 0-16 last year, so they gotta stay here. They did improve in a few key areas this season, so look for them to move up a little bit.

Bob: St. Louis Rams (Last Week: N/A) - Unlike the Lions, the Rams have not improved anywhere, really. Jason Smith may help, but overall they're bad from top to bottom. Excluding Steven Jackson.